It is a railway tunnel that connects France and England and passes under the English Channel. The 50-kilometer (31-mile) Channel tube is formed of three tunnels, two for rail travel purposes and the middle one for purposes of facilities and security. While the idea of an underwater tunnel was first proposed as far back as 1751, it took until 1988 before the Channel Tunnel was finally constructed; it begins operations in 1994. The tunnel is operated by Eurotunnel, where it carries automotive traffic, high-speed passenger trains, freight trains, and shuttle service. Passengers employ the shuttle in conjunction with their personal vehicles.
Also Read : Major Channel Tunnel Construction Challenges
Facts About the Channel Tunnel or The Eurotunnel:
1. What is the Euro Tunnel?
So it becomes the world’s longest underwater tunnel. Coquelles, France, close to Calais, and Folkestone, UK, are also connected by the Euro Tunnel. The Euro Tunnel is an underwater rail tunnel excavated under the Channel. It serves mainly as a railway system for passenger trains operated by Eurostar and the automobile carrying Eurotunnel Shuttle. The whole 50.5-kilometer tunnel lies underwater for 37.9 kilo meters.
2. This was one hundred years in the making
In 1856, a tunnel was supposed to be constructed connecting France to the United Kingdom. However, the very process of joining nations has changed overtime since there was a concept of horse-changing island first proposed in the 19th century.
3. An Elongated Tradition in Planning
Talking of the concept of Tunneling under the English Channel has been around for centuries. The project since its inception in the 19th century was ambitious in its goals and never actually launched, but now in the 1980s it came to that day. In 1986 France and the UK finally decided to launch the tunnel project. All those years of squabbling over politics, money, and technology called it a day.
4. Well, there are actually two Channel Tunnels
The fourth Channel Tunnel Fact, is it connect England and France. A service tunnel in a Channel Tunnel is a tubular construction that consists of two running tunnels on opposite sides. The usage of the service tunnel is possible only in case of an emergency.
5. It was just a team effort, really?
The Channel Tunnel was designed and built with approximately 13,000 people involved in the construction process. That affects not only the original planners and designers the engineers but also the building teams. Eleven persons died during the course of the work.
6. British tourists traveling to France make up the majority of its users
It serves mainly the purposes of the UK. In fact, it accounts for no less than 85% of all vehicle visitors. Some years ago though, immigration was building up to become an issue and measures had been taken already to strengthen border control at both ends.
7. The Tunnel’s Cost
Construction of the Euro Tunnel was a lot more expensive than had been expected. Its cost stood at around £9 billion, whereas its initial evaluation stood at about £4.8 billion. As the tunnel had to pay for its construction, that created quite a severe financial problem. Public and commercial sectors financed the tunnel, with most of the funding coming from investors who actually went through the various costs.
8. Effects on Trade and Travel
The Euro Tunnel revolutionized trade and travel between the UK and France since opening. It has hastened the crossing of the Channel for travelers and made it more dependable. Boats were their foremost mode of transport, though often a journey would be canceled or rescheduled due to bad weather. The Euro Tunnel was not affected by the state of the river, thus more reliable transit.
9. Safety and Security The Euro Tunnel
The Euro Tunnel has traditionally put a great emphasis on safety. It is fitted with the latest safety features, such as ventilation, monitoring, and fire detection, in the modern system. In an emergency, passengers can safely evacuate each of the main tunnels via the emergency service tunnel.
10. Future of the Euro Tunnel
It has been seen that Euro Tunnel is one of the most significant passage premises for crossing between the UK and France. Thus, it has been under renovation and expansion. The increasing demand for high-speed, environmentally friendly, and efficient transportation demands makes Channel Tunnel a fundamental aspect of European infrastructures in years to come.
Conclusion
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